The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to a carousel conveyor and method for recirculating articles atop conveyor belts having rotatable article-supporting rollers.
A conveyor carousel is used to accumulate and recirculate articles until they can be selectively removed from the conveyor. One typical carousel used in the meat-packing industry to recirculate vacuum-packed bags, e.g., CRYOVAC® bags, of meat comprises a pair of side-by-side conveyors running in opposite directions. Bars angled across the conveyors at each end divert the bags from one conveyor to the other so that an endless recirculation path is formed. But the bags can get pinched between the bars and the conveyor. In some cases, the pinching can cause pin pricks in the bags. Often the pin pricks are too small to be detected by QC inspectors, but their mere presence can be enough to cause a food quality and safety issue.
Thus, there is a need for a recirculation system that avoids this shortcoming.